If you eat fried cheese alongside lots of veggies that cancels out the fact that it’s fried cheese, yes?

I’m going to go ahead and just pretend that your answer is ‘most definitely, yes!’ regardless of what you reply. Because fried cheese.

I stumbled upon this recipe for fried goats cheese from The Pioneer Woman the other week and got way too excited about cheese (obviously). For the most part, I shy away from using a lot of dairy products in my recipes here. Mike’s not lactose intolerant, but it’s a food that he eats with caution. That being said I have to find other ways of getting in my daily dose of cheese which usually takes form in the place of salad.

Not to mention this salad is super easy to throw together. Preparing the cheese takes the most amount of time, but even then that takes 10 minutes at most to coat and fry the feta. The veggies require only a quick wash and chop before tossing in a bowl along with the vinaigrette.

You can use whatever type of lettuce you like in this salad, but I’d recommend something like gem or iceberg so that the vinaigrette has lots of nice little crevices and folds to fall into. You can also throw all of your veggies together (minus the lettuce ) in a bowl and toss with the dressing to let it marinate for a while before serving.

Whichever way you choose, you love this Greek Salad and you’ll definitely love the crispy fried feta!

Salad

2 cups gem lettuce, or lettuce of your choosing, torn into large pieces

Instructions

Feta

Slice the feta block into little squares, about 1 inch long and 1/2 inch thick. Gently pat the feta dry with a paper towel before coating in the flour/breadcrumb mixture.

Gather and assemble three shallow bowls: fill one bowl with the flour, one with an egg, slightly beaten, and one with the breadcrumbs.

Take the feta squares and dip each in the flour. Coat all sides. Transfer the square to the egg bowl, all excess egg to drip back into the bowl. Finally dip the square in the breadcrumbs. Coat all sides and press the crumbs gently into the feta. Place the cheese on a small plate and continue this process until all of your cheese is ready to fry.

Fill a small frying pan with olive oil, so that the oil is about 3/4 -1 inch deep. Place the pan over a medium high heat and heat until the oil sizzles when you flick a few water drops into the oil. When the oil is hot enough gently place the breaded feta in the oil. Fry for one minute or until golden brown, gently flip the feta over and fry for another minutes. Only fry a few squares of cheese at a time so that the pan doesn't overcrowd. If you overcrowd the pan your cheese may not crisp up and flipping may be difficult. After each side is golden brown, remove the cheese and place them on a plate lined with a paper towel to absorb the excess oil. Set aside to cool slightly while you prepare the salad.

Vinaigrette

Add all ingredients to a mason jar or any type of container with a top. Cover and shake vigorously until combined. Add additional salt/pepper if needed. Cover and store in the refrigerator up to 1 week.

Salad

Add the red onion slices, tomato halves, cucumber chunks, olives and lettuce to a large salad bowl. Toss gently with the vinaigrette. Cut the cooled feta squares in half and place on top of the salad. Serve immediately and enjoy!